Hi! I have teamed up with several music blogger friends for a blog hop! We’re collaborating as bloggers to bring you music education ideas using a variety of methodologies and approaches. However, before we dive into music education topics, we thought it would be fun to “hop around” a bit and introduce ourselves!
How will this blog hop benefit you?
1. Getting to Know You
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We want a chance to get to know you! Understanding our current and past experiences helps us to form stronger professional learning communities, and we’d love for you to be a part of it!
2. Giveaway
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After you’re finished with the hop, you can enter a giveaway for your chance to win lots of teacher goodies that are sure to make you smile! Simply leave a comment on this post with an answer to the highlighted question at the bottom of this post. Then, do the same at each blog hop stop. When you reach the end of the blog hop, you’ll be able to enter the giveaway for your chance to win!And the winner is…LAUREN DANLOE!!!
What state/region you are in?
I am a true midwestern girl! Born and raised in Michigan – I’ve done quite a bit of traveling in my lifetime. I’ve lived in Hawaii, Texas and Pennsylvania and have traveled the world, but I always come home to Michigan. A true Michigander will show you where we live by pointing to our hand (Michigan as known as the “mitten state”). I live and teach in Farmington, a suburb of Detroit. Note: that is not my actual hand.
What is your background education/experience?
My story to education is an odd one. I completed my bachelor’s degree in flute performance from Michigan State University. I tried hard to be an education major as an undergrad but what I observed didn’t speak to me. I didn’t know how I wanted to teach, but I knew how I didn’t want to teach. Nothing inspired me until I took a 3-credit elective in early childhood music the last semester of my senior year. Little did I know how that experience would change my life. I loved early childhood music so much that I dropped out of my master’s program two weeks before school started and enrolled in a teacher certification program at the University of Houston. A few year’s later, I completed a master’s degree in music education from Temple University. In addition to my degrees, I hold certifications in Music Learning Theory and Orff and teach MLT levels in both early childhood and elementary general music.
What kind of music do I listen to in my spare time?
The right answer would be that I “love classical music” but the truth is I am a Dave Matthews Band girl through and through. I’ve been a fan for 20+ years. Love them! Love their music (seriously, who has a woodwind specialist in their band?) Love the improv. Love the never-ending jams. Love the quirkiness of Dave himself. Love it all! I once read a quote from Dave that said as he was creating his band, he “surrounded himself with musicians that were better himself.” I love that he had a vision for the band, but part of that vision was growing and improving himself musically. I see them in concert whenever possible and to this day, their songs rank #1 in my Top 25 on iTunes.
So what kind of music do you listen to in your spare time?
After you’ve commented with your answer to the question above, simply click on the image below to visit Mark at Musical Gems!
I listen to all kinds of music, spanning nearly every genre. Currently, I've been listening to music from the Renaissance for a project I'm working on. However, classic rock tends to be the music most often found on my radio. And Motown is always great for days that I'm working around the house 🙂
My musical tastes are pretty eclectic! I try to listen to current (pop and hip-hop/rap) music just to stay informed about what my students are hearing, but I also love a good Bela Fleck, Jim Brickman, Out Of Eden, Pnetatonix, or Sara Bareilles…. I could go on and on…
I also love Dave!! Currently, we've been jamming to the Frozen soundtrack and Mickey Mouse in the van. When I'm cleaning or getting ready, my favorite pandora channel is THE BEATLES!
I'm terrible right now about listening to other music…I'm swamped composing, writing and building my store right now…but I miss doing it!
I listen to a lot of different genres… my husband and I are building our record collection and it's sort of hilarious how our vinyl goes from classical to indie to country to 80s hair bands. But my favorite band to listen to is The Decemberists… Last month I saw them in concert for the second time and they put on such a good show.
Well, the honest answer is that I don't listen to music in my spare time. There's always a song going on in my head, I guess. I am terrible at "name that tune" when it comes to popular music and I couldn't tell you who sang it or where to find it. BUT, I married a music lover and HE listens to music all the time. Lots of genres. I mean LOTS. From Christian heavy metal to Mozart opera. The CD collection is quite huge, and since he has been on eBay, more music arrives almost every day. I laughed at Rachel's comment about building her record collection. That is where I put my foot down! We still have a large bookshelf full of vinyl and a good record player, but no more comes in to this house! The good news in all of this is that my hubby has great taste in music, is very knowledgeable, has everything alphabetized by genre, and always knows (and finds) the right music for the right moment.
I LOVE your honesty! I always think music teachers are expected to answer "Beethoven" or "Mozart" to these questions but we are human just like everyone else! I'm a Piano Guys Fan!
If I had MY choice, I would listen to Christian music all day, everyday. However, when I'm in the presence of my children, they switch all my radio stations to Pop. For the most part I'm ok with it, but sometimes it gets a little out of hand and inappropriate.
Stacie – that is always #2 on my list. My radio is set to K-LOVE all the time. My DMB time is usually at home while I cleaning or working on TpT! 😉 It's so hard to find any pop music with a positive message for kids. Makes me sad!
I know, right? I love classical music, but the truth is I listen to pop music like anyone else. Although I don't know that I would call DMB pop music. And those Piano Guys – WOW! I always show my fourth graders the Cello Wars when we they're getting ready to choose their instruments for 5th grade music. They love the light saber bows! 🙂
Sally, what I fear the most about my child growing up in the digital age is that he will never discover "my music" like I did my own parents' music as a child. I went through their record collection repeatedly and listened to all kids of music (much like your husband's collection!) It's how I was introduced to Simon & Garfunkel, Ella Fitzgerald, Ravel and Earth, Wind and Fire. How does a digital native discover that music? It's one of the reasons I've not let go of my CD collection. I want him to get lost in all of that music some day!
Ooo! I've not listened to the Decemberists! I'll have to check them out! I love discovering new music! Thanks for the recommendation Rachel!
I understand Sandra! I have a little one at home and sometimes all I want is silence while I'm trying to catch up on the 101 projects I have going on. This summer I've really rediscovered my musical roots and have been listening as I work late into the night. Makes my mood a bit brighter!
Wow lots of variety in these answers. I was raised on old old OLD country western music Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, The Sons of the Pioneers, Marty Robbins… These were all my Dad's choices and he ruled the radio in the car and no one else had a say. lol I still like those songs. I was in HS and college in the 80s so I have connections to all that classic rock and pop- Whitney, The Eagles, Steve Miller Band, Journey, and so on. I love Amy Grant, Barry Manilow and well you get the idea…. How can you narrow it down to just one??
I know I am dating myself but I really enjoy listening to the Bee Gees, Earth, Wind and Fire, Doobie Brothers, Michael McDonald, etc.
OMG I too am a die hard Dave Matthews fan! I like a lot of different styles of music, but his is always my go to!
Usually pop songs are what I play on the radio. But my favorite channel I like to listen to on Pandora is the "Glee" channel and the Musicals channel. Love musicals! 🙂
I love everything! My iPod is full of glenn miller, oldies, choral music, country, some random current songs, classic rock, saxophone solos, croatian folk music, hawiian traditional, jazz, rap, and even a little techno. My dad was a DJ for several decades, and I've listened to all of it as he rode the waves of what was popular as well as the stuff I've discovered myself. I do love some Matchbox Twenty though!
I listen to just about everything. Just recently, however, I discovered an olden oldies (is that a thing? and if it is it's the 1930s-1940s 😉 ) radio station that plays a lot of greats like The Glen Miller Band, The Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, and the like, and I've been indulging my ear with that era. Great music. Great voices.
Malinda
My Musical Menagerie: Kodaly and Orff Classroom
I love listening to silence after a day full of music-making with kids! But really, I like listening to a cappella, classic rock, current pop music, Christian music, folk music, etc.
I am an NPR junkie in the car, but at home I love shuffling genres on my iPod: alternative, bluegrass, classical, folk, indie rock, Irish, jazz, latin, etc. When my kids don't have their headphones on, they are hearing and absorbing all kinds of music. And I guess it works because my son's favorite artist is Ben Folds and he also loves going to Gaelic Storm concerts with me and my husband. The kids still groan a bit when we play classical, but conversely my 15-year old LOVES movie scores and can discuss in detail various film composers and their compositions. It's not the same as Mozart and Beethoven, but I'll take it. My daughter just lives in the pop world, which we join in with her from time to time. Been listening to a lot of Meghan Trainor this summer and liking it. If I had to pick a single favorite artist, Norah Jones is always a go to. Love her voice, her musicianship, and her varying styles of compositions.
Your home looks just lovely for me. You take neutral to a new level.
Thanks!
John Stolle